1 . You’ve sized up the benefits of volunteering, looked over your schedule, and decided you have both the time and desire to give back to your community.     1     Here are some tips to find and get suitable volunteer opportunities in your area — or farther afield.

Identify your values.

    2     Make a list of the values that drive you, or the issues you care about, and then look for organizations with complementary (互补的) missions and opportunities. For instance, if your primary motivation is to strengthen social connections with peers, you might look to organizations such as school groups that require interaction with other parents, or neighbors.

If you’re motivated to serve the less fortunate, you might target organizations that work with housing-insecure populations, people with disabilities or members of historically disadvantaged groups. Motivations for volunteering are as diverse as the volunteers harboring them.     3    

Try to involve the whole family.

Many parents who volunteer turn giving back into a family affair. Community service is a great way to teach kids the value of selflessness.     4     Look for volunteer engagements that welcome people of all ages and abilities, and schedule time for the whole family to participate —whether that means spending an afternoon picking up trash on the side of the highway, or a week in a faraway flood zone.

    5    

Once you find a well-run organization that aligns with (符合) your availability, values, talents, and objectives, work with your contact there to set a volunteer schedule that fits your life. If you’re exploring a frequent engagement — say, a weekly or biweekly commitment —think carefully about how much time you can afford to donate. It’s better to commit to shorter or less frequent volunteer hours than to take on an unmanageable workload.

A．What motivates you to give back?

B．Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

C．Are you ready to build a list of ideal places to volunteer?

D．It’s also an opportunity to spend more time with your family.

E．Don’t overthink the process of finding opportunities to volunteer.

F．Whatever your motivations are, there’s an organization out there that needs your help.

G．Now comes the most difficult part: finding volunteer opportunities that are right for you.

2 . The schools located in the East End of Houston, Texas, serve some of the poorest, most at-risk students in the Houston Independent School District. Like many urban areas, Houston’s East End is a “food desert,” where fresh, affordable produce is hard to find, while unhealthy foods from convenience stores and fast food restaurants are widely available. The combination of urban pollution and unhealthy foods have led to diabetes (糖尿病), obesity, and associated illnesses in the East End.

Through a youth-led “Green Ambassador” program rooted in the environmental education curriculum of Project Learning Tree (PLT), students from East End schools are aiming to change their neighborhood. Their goal is to transform their community from a food desert to a food forest that can supply the East End’s residents with fresh, natural foods while also providing food and shelter for wildlife. They’re planting one fruit tree and one community garden at a time, linking their schools and neighborhoods to form a Houston East End Greenbelt.

Emerson Hernandez, a student at Furr High School, joined the school’s PLT GreenSchools’ Green Team in ninth grade. The program sparked a passion to work with his classmates and other participating GreenSchools to transform his community into a thriving green corridor. “Through PLT you’re encouraging people to take action, to do something for their neighborhood. And while you’re doing it, you’re learning all kinds of other things — math, social studies, history, science, and writing,” says Hernandez.

They have planted more than 200 trees all over the East End of Houston, created and tended more than 200 vegetable garden beds in the community, and raised approximately 3,000 pounds of sweet potatoes, and other vegetables that have been donated to area food banks.

“Emerson is such a phenomenal young leader,” says Tamberly Conway, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist at the U. S. Forest Service. “He can speak to adults and peers alike. He’s been an incredible role model. His passion and love shine through. ”

1. How does the author begin the passage?

A．By giving an example.	B．By describing a scene.
C．By presenting the problem.	D．By comparing phenomena.

2. What can we learn about students from East End schools?

A．They donate foods to the community.

B．They combine curriculum study with labor.

C．They founded “Green Ambassador” program.

D．They appeal for community wildlife protection.

3. Which of the following words best describe Emerson?

A．Thoughtful and gifted.	B．Curious and aggressive.
C．Pioneering and creative.	D．Responsible and enthusiastic.

4. What is the main idea of the paragraph 4?

A．Donation raised by students.	B．Students’ achievements in community.
C．Students’ extracurricular performance.	D．Students’ appeal for crop production.

3 . Some mothers and daughters like to go shopping or walking together or picnicking as part of their bonding experience. Others become firefighters together. That’s the route that Montgomery County mother Betsy Gekonge took with her 17-year-old daughter Mokeira. The pair recently graduated from the Montgomery County Fire Academy together and received their Firefighter certificate.

The rising high school senior says she thought she’d be going to the fire academy alone. She never expected to have company. “This is quite out of my expectation because I never expected her to do it with me,” said Mokeira.

“Taking classes with my mom was fun because we could study together but also joke around. We share a lot of funny stories at family events,” Mokeira told the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association. “Montgomery County is a great place for new volunteers because you learn a lot from knowledgeable, professional firefighters in a positive environment. It teaches you a lot.”

Mokeira is one of the first individuals to gain her Firefighter certificate at age 17 since Pennsylvania’s law changed, making 17 —the youngest legal age to become certified instead of 18.

The pair will work as volunteer firefighters for Barren Hill Fire Company in Lafayette Hill. According to the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute, there were 300,000 volunteer firefighters across the state in the 1970s. That number dwindled (减少) to 38,000 in 2018.

“It’s really fulfilling to volunteer and learn about fire safety that helps us and others in our daily life,” Betsy added. “I’ve built a lot of relationships in our community through volunteering.” “Our decision was primarily motivated by this, and now I have gained great satisfaction from it. It gives me a sense of purpose and I’m helping to contribute to the solution,” said Mokiera.

1. What did Betsy and Mokeira decide to do bond with each other?

A．Go shopping.	B．Take a walk.
C．Become firefighters.	D．Have a picnic.

2. How does Mokeira feel about her mother’s choice?

A．Surprised.

B．Annoyed.

C．Confused.

D．Worried.

3. Why did Betsy and Mokeira volunteer to work for their community?

A．To learn fire safety skills.	B．To work as career firefighters.
C．To address the shortage of employees.	D．To strengthen ties with their community.

4. What does the author intend to highlight about the story?

A．The importance of fire safety education.

B．A serious challenge faced by firefighters.

C．An inspiring example of mother-daughter job relation.

D．The potential for family members to volunteer together.

4 . Six-year-old Amar Lal was never concerned with what year, month, week or day it was. His routine was the same. Every morning the family would pack their belongings and move from quarry (采石场) to quarry, where they began a day’s work. As the colours of the sky changed from blue to orange to black, the family would break stones.

Needless to say, school was a distant dream as was permanent housing. But one day in 2001, Lal’s destiny changed when Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi paid a visit to the quarry.

Recalling the fateful day in 2001 when Satyarthi was conducting a gathering in his village — an education march part of the “Save Childhood Movement” — Lal says Satyarthi spotted him carrying heavy stones. A short conversation later, Satyarthi had convinced Lal’s parents that their child was meant for greater things.

“I vividly recall Satyarthi asking my parents whether I went to school. But not my parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents had ever been to school. They looked at him with a puzzled look because a nomadic (游牧的) lifestyle was the only one we knew. Work was all we were taught to do,” the 27-year-old lawyer Lal shares.

His parents were interested by this “angel” who assured them that a better world lay outside this quarry — a world where their children could play, laugh and learn. They decided to trust Satyarthi. And several days later, Lal went to Satyarthi’s centre for children. Thus began Lal’s second chapter of life.

“My education at Satyarthi’s centre taught me that child labour is a serious problem and children around India are subjected to cruelty under the banner of ‘work’. I was really grateful that I was given a chance at a new life which thousands of children dreamed of. I wanted to give other children the same.”

Since Lal graduated as a lawyer in 2018, he has been working with Satyarthi on cases and practical assistance, and in turn, giving hope to many more children.

1. How was Lal’s life before meeting Satyarthi?

A．He worked as a labourer.	B．He led a comfortable life.
C．He was abused in the family.	D．He liked to observe the sky.

2. Who is Satyarthi most likely to be?

A．An advocate for children’s rights.	B．An owner of a big quarry.
C．A Nobel Prize winner in medicine.	D．An expert in children’s behavior.

3. How might Lal’s parents react to Satyarthi’s question?

A．They felt annoyed.	B．They were confused.
C．They felt unhappy.	D．They were disappointed.

4. Which of the following can best describe Lal?

A．Grateful and generous.	B．Reliable and determined.
C．Ambitious and modest.	D．Lucky and responsible.

5 . Founder is turning ownership of the company after nearly 50 years into two entities (实体) that will help fight the climate crisis.

Patagonia is a private company based in Ventura, California, which sells outdoor clothing and equipment, and was founded in 1973. Patagonia’s founder Yvon Chouinard, who has previously expressed his unwillingness at gathering wealth, is giving away his company. The outdoor clothing company will now be in the hands of a trust and a nonprofit organization. All future profits will be donated to help fight climate change, the company announced Wednesday.

“It’s been a half-century since we began our experiment in responsible business,” Chouinard said. “As the business leader In ever wanted to be, I am doing my part” He added, “Instead of taking value from nature and turning it into wealth, we are using the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the resources. We’re making Earth our only shareholder. I am dead serious about saving this planet.”

Chouinard and his family will be turning over their entire ownership share into two newly created entities. Those entities will ensure that the company’s values will continue to be upheld—and that Patagonia’s profits are used to combat climate change.

“If we have any hope of a thriving planet 50 years from now, it demands that all of us should do all we can with the resources we have. We want to both protect the purpose of the business and immediately and continuously release more funding to fight the environmental crisis. We believe this new structure delivers on both and we hope it will inspire a new way of doing business that puts people and the planet first.” Chouinard said in a statement Wednesday.

This nonprofit organization will make sure that the company’s annual profits, about $100 million per year, will be used to protect nature and biodiversity, support thriving communities and fight the environmental crisis.

1. What is the goal for donating Patagonia?

A．To maximize shareholder value.

B．To turn the structure of the company.

C．To use its profits for protection of nature.

D．To become a leader in the business world.

2. What does the underlined word “thriving” in Paragraph 5mean?

A．Limiting.

B．Interesting.

C．Promising.

D．Rewarding.

3. Which can best describe Mr Chouinard’s plan?

A．Kill two birds with one stone.	B．Helping others is a virtue.
C．Rose presented, smell remained.	D．Actions speak louder than words.

4. What is the focus of the author about Mr Chouinard?

A．His pursuit of success.	B．His social responsibility.
C．His rich life experiences.	D．His great business talent.

6 . Fifth-graders gathered around a large tank inside their school’s greenhouse. Plants hang overhead, and trays of seedlings (幼苗) fill the shelves. Small silver fish pop their heads out of the water as Blanka, 10 years old, holds out food. “If you put your finger in a little bit, they might bite it. It doesn’t hurt; it just feels funny,” explains Blanka.

At Manzo Elementary Schools in Tucson, raising fish at school was one small answer to a big problem faced by many people in the neighborhood — food insecurity. While the students could have breakfast and lunch at school, their families often struggled to provide dinner. The teachers came up with an idea: could the students raise food at school for the neighborhood?

It wouldn’t be easy. Being in a desert region, water was a scarce resource in Tucson. Apart from that, the soil doesn’t always have the nutrients plants need to grow, so the students would need to add a natural fertilizer. Inspired by the Aztecs’ ancient practice of chinampas, floating farms on lakes near Mexico City, Counselor Moses Thompson introduced an aquaponics (鱼菜共生) system where fish waste served as fertilizer for the plants, while the plants’ roots purified the water in the fish tank. Apart from fish, other animals played an important part in supporting the students’ mission to feed their neighbors. Chickens laid eggs, and visiting pollinators (传粉者) like bees and butterflies helped transform flowers into vegetables.

Once the students had harvested enough food, it was time for Market Day. They offered vegetables as donations to people in the neighborhood and sold eggs and fish to raise funds for fish food and chicken feed. “We can plant good food and have fun while we’re doing something important,” says Blanka. “I’m so happy to be at this school.”

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．What the greenhouse ecosystem looks like.	B．How fifth-graders observe fish.
C．Whether feeding fish is funny.	D．Where plants are grown.

2. Why did Manzo Elementary School start raising fish at school?

A．To teach students about fish.

B．To bring in income for the school.

C．To attract more students to the school.

D．To handle food shortage in the neighborhood.

3. How did the ecosystem at Manzo Elementary School work?

A．Fish waste fertilized the plants.	B．Chickens helped purify water.
C．Plants provided food for fish.	D．Pollinators helped carry vegetables.

4. Which word best describes Blanka’s attitude to raising fish at school?

A．Tolerant.

B．Favorable.

C．Skeptical.

D．Uncaring.

7 . The Psychology of Giving: Why do People Give to Charity?

Every day, leaders in the nonprofit sector invest valuable time, energy, and money into educating and spreading awareness of their mission in the hopes that this will increase support for their nonprofit. They assume that if only more people knew about a school’s budget cuts, for example, then they would surely donate! So, they bombard (连续轰炸) potential supporters with depressing statistics or complex arguments.     1    .

Why do people donate to charity? While it’s true that donors and volunteers are motivated to make the world a better place because it’s the right thing to do, that’s not the entire—or even the primary—reason for their generosity.     2    . In other words, we give because it feels good and that good feeling connects us to others in ways that we find satisfying. While that might sound selfish, all it really means is that people are wired to feel happy when they’re being kind.

    3    . Nobody wants to read yet another article about how the world is falling to pieces. Emphasize the good that’s being done at your organization so that your donors feel empowered, not depressed.

Since we give in part because it solidifies our connections to others, make sure that your communication with your donors is personal and specific (i.e. begin correspondence with “Dear Anna,” not “Dear Donor”). Prioritize community by finding ways to connect with your supporters on a personal level and give them the opportunity to interact with each other, whether it’s through a monthly video call or a donor appreciation night.     4    .

Remember that, at base, all philanthropic work is fundamentally a social act, so aim to make your donors feel like they’re a part of a broader community in which they are included, valued, and seen.

A．Research shows that the number one motivator for charitable giving is the all-too-human quest for reward and social attachment.

B．But this begs the question: how do statistics influence people’s decision to donate?

C．The more human ties your donors have with your organization and with each other, the more committed they’ll be to your mission.

D．While statistics and figures are important, make sure that your messages to your donors are upbeat and optimistic.

E．In this way, you are more likely to build long-lasting connection with both contributors and receivers.

F．However, that’s not how the human mind works.

8 . With amazing Christmas lights and some very special guests, Pallion Action Group kicked off the festive season in style after another year of giving much-needed support to the Sunderland community.

“We’ve got wreath making, our singers and dancers and, of course, a visit from Santa. This event brings out so much enthusiasm in the community,” said organizer Karen Noble. “We’ll also go and surprise anyone we know who’s going to be lonely at Christmas.”

Pallion has been at the heart of the community here since 1993, but the past couple of years have seen people increasingly struggling financially and feeling lonely. “This time last year, people were in great poverty,” said Karen. “But if we’ve done our job properly, they’ve become more financially resilient (可迅速恢复的) or less lonely and we should be helping different people this year. And a lot of those who were helped last year are volunteering for us now. People are so kind — we get loads of homemade thank-you cards. But I think the biggest thanks we get is knowing we’ve helped somebody to the point where they’re independent and getting on with life.”

Karen and the team organize a wide range of activities, from after-school clubs and cookery sessions to line dancing and computer classes to keep older people connected. But all this wouldn’t be possible without funding from People’s Health Trust, with money raised through The Health Lottery (彩票). Every time you play The Health Lottery, not only could you win up to £100,000, but you’re also helping to raise much-needed funds that go straight to the heart of the community. “So playing The Health Lottery is not just the chance to win a prize. You could be making a real difference,” said Karen.

1. What can we know about Pallion Action Group from the first two paragraphs?

A．It needs much support.

B．Its main task is holding festivals.

C．It cares for the community.

D．It offers a chance to visit Santa.

2. What does Karen think of their job?

A．It is of no use.	B．It has paid off.
C．It needs improving.	D．It is not satisfactory.

3. How does Pallion Action Group get the fund?

A．By funding from an organization.

B．By raising money themselves.

C．By receiving donations from different people.

D．By receiving money from the government.

4. Which words can best describe Karen?

A．Sensitive and skeptical.	B．Ambitious and energetic.
C．Talented and intelligent.	D．Caring and enthusiastic.

9 . Volunteers are the lifeblood of nonprofit (非营利的) organizations, but COVID-19 makes it difficult for them to take part, especially for older people. As a result, nonprofit organizations are meeting the challenge of finding new, safe ways to engage with older volunteers.

“COVID-19 has been a real blow to most communities, seriously blocking volunteer participation, but our society needs the talent of these people,” said Marc Freedman, the founder of Encore.org, a nonprofit trying to bridge generational divides. “We know from decades of research that strong social connections and a reason to get up in the morning are key to our well-being as we age,” he added. “So we need to give up the idea of ‘stay safe and stay out of the way.’”

Like so much of life in COVID-19, volunteer work has largely moved online. But technology can be a barrier for many older adults — both those who offer and those who receive volunteer services. They are less likely to get and take advantage of the latest technology. Last year 59 percent of Americans age 65 and older had broadband (宽带) Internet connections, about 20 percentage points fewer than those in younger age groups.

None of that has stopped elderly volunteers like Paula Brynen, a 65-year-old Los Angeles resident. Before COVID-19, she volunteered for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS’s) Light The Night, an annual fund-raising walk at which participants carry glowing lanterns. Ms. Brynen would help out with setting up the event; nowadays, she focuses on another task. “They usually give volunteers a small list of calls to make,” she said, “but because I worked in fund-raising and have no problem ringing up, they gave me 50 names this year.”

Meanwhile, she is working as a mentor (导师) with Table Wisdom, a St. Louis-based nonprofit that matches older adults with students and young professionals. She connects each week via Zoom with a young environmental engineer in Colombia. “We talk about politics and movie recommendations — I’ve learned a lot about Colombia, and she’s learned about things like Los Angeles’s culture.”

1. What does the underlined part “these people” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Elderly patients.	B．Older volunteers.
C．Young professionals.	D．Nonprofit organizers.

2. Which of the following would Marc Freedman agree with?

A．Having something to do daily benefits older adults.

B．Knowing how to stay connected helps you succeed.

C．It is good for the elderly to get up early in the morning.

D．More efforts should be taken to improve seniors’ safety.

3. Why does the author provide the numbers in paragraph 3?

A．To express approval for developing technology.

B．To discuss how COVID-19 influenced volunteer work.

C．To show many older people are falling behind technologically.

D．To explain the development of broadband Internet connections.

4. How does Paula Brynen work for the LLS now?

A．By taking fund-raising walks.	B．By making a lot of phone calls.
C．By giving free speeches via Zoom.	D．By instructing students and young adults.

10 . Harris County expands the mobile library program with an addition of the fourth Curiosity Cruiser (巡航车). Instead of sweet music through a speaker system attached to the roof, the sides of the cruisers are decorated with cartoon images of superheroes. And the vehicles are not filled with frozen treats, but rather a collection of books, electronics and other materials that can help children learn.

“When kids see a cruiser coming into their community, they start running for it,” Melton, the director of the Houston-area library system, said. “They’re excited about it. They’re excited about reading and getting a book they can take home.”

Melton said the Curiosity Cruisers program has distributed (分发) more than 69,000 books to more than 55,000 Houston-area children, focusing on reaching low-income parts of the region where there are no nearby public libraries. Children up to age 18 can take home one book per visit while engaging with other on-site learning materials such as laptops, 3D printers and courses on robotics and other STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines.

The newest delivery truck, equipped and donated by the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation with financial support from local companies and other charities, will enable the mobile library program to make an additional 12 stops per month. “It is a huge deal,” Melton said of adding a fourth cruiser. “There is a great need for literary services in Harris County. Even with the efforts we’re putting forth, it’s really like a drop in the sea. So the more vehicles we can have, the more impact we can have.”

Julie Finck, the president of the foundation behind, said the idea was to promote reading and STEM skills in communities where there are not libraries, even in schools.

Three out of ten Houston children failed to meet the minimum, end-of-third-grade reading standard in the most recent statewide STAAR test, according to Finck. She also said research shows that if children aren’t reading skilfully by the end of the third grade, they are four times as likely as their peers (同龄人) to end up dropping out of school.

1. Why do kids get excited when they see a Curiosity Cruiser?

A．They can get a book free of charge.

B．They can buy frozen treats from the cruiser.

C．They can borrow some learning materials.

D．They can meet their favorite superheroes.

2. What does Melton mean in paragraph 4?

A．What they are doing is far from enough.

B．The number of library vehicles is sufficient.

C．More support is needed from the government.

D．They have donated too much for the vehicles.

3. What is the main goal of the Curiosity Cruisers program?

A．To raise funds for the poor.	B．To bridge the educational gap.
C．To better people’s living standards.	D．To build more libraries in Houston.

4. What is the point of improving the end-of-third-graders’ reading skills?

A．Children can improve their social skills.

B．It will develop children’s interest in reading.

C．It will help children prepare for their STEM.

D．The dropout rate among children will decrease.